Food-borne parasitic infections — A review

A review of food-borne parasitic infections is presented. Parasitic infections in conventional slaughtered animals and seafood (fish and shellfish) constituting a public health hazard are discussed. To the former category belong cysticercosis, echinococcosis and trichinellosis, and to the latter category belong various trematole, cestode and nematode infections. Examples of trematode infections are heterophyidiasis, transmitted to man by marine fish and Paragonimus spp. parasites, transmitted by crustaceans. Cestode infections include diphyllobothriasis transmitted by freshwater fish and fish from brackish waters. Special attention is drawn to the condition known as sparganosis. Of the nematode infections the eosinophilic granulomatous enteritis is mentioned. It is due to infections with members of the genera Anisakis, Phocanema and Contracaecum and is transmitted to man by either marine fish of crustaceans. Two other nematode infections Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Capillaria philippinensis can also be transmitted to man by marine fish.Apart from a possible direct effect of these parasites, chemical alterations in seafood resulting from the presence of parasites may also be deleterious to the consumer.Special attention is drawn to a newly developed serological detection method, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, enabling not only detection of infection at the slaughter-house, but also in large herds at the farm.Strategies to control parasitic infections both in conventional slaughtered animals and in seafood are discussed.